Sherlock's Gift
by starwarsfreak95
Summary: Sherlock Holmes is a scientist. Before he makes the famous fall, he leaves one last successful experiment- a child of his and John's. Over the course of the next four years, John lives to be father to little Elspeth, never dreaming that Sherlock is alive. What will happen as he finally reveals himself to John, and their daughter? Can he integrate himself into his own family?
1. Prologue

**A/N- I wanted a more unconventional way to get the story I wanted, and I got it. This prologue is kinda weird, which is why I'm uploading the first chapter with it. Don't judge my story by its rather weird prologue, please! Cheers 3**

Prologue- Sherlock's Letter

_"You're wrong you know, you do count. You've always counted and I've always trusted you. But you were right, I'm not okay."_

_Molly stared at the man of ice as he finally opened up to her._

_"Tell me what's wrong," she insisted, frightened._

_"Molly, I think I'm going to die," Sherlock's eyes were tortured._

_"What do you need?" at that moment, she placed herself in his power without a second thought._

_"If I wasn't everything that you think I am, everything that I think I am, would you still want to help me?" his expression baffled her for a moment. Then she realized- Sherlock Holmes was afraid!_

_"What do you need?" she repeated steadily._

_He looked at her, searching her face for something. Not finding it, he looked directly into her eyes again._

_"You."_

Molly knew she'd have to tell John soon, just in case Sherlock had been wrong about the man. It was highly unlikely, especially given that it was John, but even Sherlock wasn't infallible. As she placed the letter into 221b's post box, she hoped that Sherlock was right about John.

John recognized Molly Hooper's handwriting immediately. Some weird instinct made his heart fill with fear, just holding this thing in his hands. Brushing the feelings aside, John opened the envelope. A letter fell out, and just after it, another envelope. He went first for the envelope, but froze when he saw what was written on the front._ My Dearest John_ the envelope was labeled in that familiar, untidy scrawl. John gulped back tears as he went for the letter.

_John, _the letter began.

_I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you about this, but he told me to wait until I was sure that it was going to work. Well I'm sure. Read his letter, then call me about what you want to do. I'm so sorry, John._

_Molly_

John stared at the letter for a solid five minutes before he could open it. FInally, he ripped it open and grabbed the letter out.

_My dearest John_ this letter began. John's jaw dropped as he read the story of Sherlock's final successful experiment. John's brain whirled with terms like "chromosomes," "artificial implantation," and the like. The basis of the letter was this- Molly Hooper had agreed to be a surrogate mother for a child that his Sherlock had created using his and John's DNA. According to Sherlock, it was his final gift to John, this child of theirs. A product of a conversation where John had wished to be allowed to be a father. He cried, reading the end of the letter.

_You'll be a wonderful father, John, better than I ever would. This child will hopefully give you something to live for. You have no idea how sorry I am. Remember me, John. Remember me and remember that I love you and will forever. Goodbye, John Watson thank you for showing me that I can love just as well as anyone._

_Love forever,_

_Sherlock_

After drying his tears, John texted Molly Hooper, "Come to Baker St. We need to talk."


	2. Chapter One

**A/N- Now that the explanation chapter is posted, let's get on to the fluff and good stuff. This chapter, and probably the rest of the story in general is going to be much cuter!**

Chapter 1- Small Girls, Worms, and Experiments

"Elspeth Molly Holmes-Watson!" John said exasperatedly to the four year old girl.

"Yes, Daddy?" Elspeth replied with an impish and hauntingly familiar smirk on her little face. John sighed.

"Elspeth, what's in the microwave?" he asked.

"Worms, Daddy!" she said enthusiastically, dark curls bouncing as she bobbed around.

"Why are there worms in the microwave?" he asked patiently, remembering his lover with a pang.

"It's a 'spirament, Daddy!" she replied, grinning. John shook his head, reminded so much of Sherlock that he almost wanted to weep. Experiments indeed.

"About what?"

"If the worms go boom when you put them in the microwave," she explained patiently, bright blue eyes sparkling with mischief and delight. John sighed again.

"No more worms in the microwave, okay Elspeth?" he said, hugging his rather grubby daughter.

"Not even for 'spiraments?" she said, disappointed.

"No, Elspeth," her adorable face had fallen at that. Then she looked at her father for a moment with an intent expression on her young face.

"You're sad again, Daddy," she said with finality. John was, yet again, stunned by what she had inherited from her other father.

"Yes, love," he admitted, knowing he couldn't hide it from her, "Daddy's sad."

"Am I acting like other Daddy again?" she asked fearfully. John kissed her messy brown curls.

"Yes, but it's okay," John smiled at his daughter again, then wrinkled his nose exaggeratedly, "I think it's time for your bath, young lady!"

Elspeth giggled, then ran upstairs to her little room for pajamas. John took a moment to reflect on his little angel. When they'd handed the baby to John, he was confused at first. How was he to care for her? But then he looked into her tiny eyes, as blue as Sherlock's, and realized that he would do whatever it took for this baby girl's happiness.

It was rather difficult at times, but only because little Elspeth looked exactly like Sherlock. He saw himself in her too, but if she wasn't the perfect little feminine copy of Sherlock, then he'd sell the flat. Her hair was long, dark and curly, but never seemed to look brushed. Her eyes had stayed the exact same shade as Sherlock's too. Though she wasn't tall, she was willowy even at four. He'd even caught a hint of Sherlock's cheekbones in her chubby baby face as she'd grown. He loved her with all that was left of his heart, and as devoted to her as he had been to his Sherlock. He was startled out of his reverie by thumping noises.

"Daddy! Come read to me!" Elspeth demanded once she got into his arms.

"What's the magic word?" he asked her.

"Please?" she begged. John smiled at her eagerness.

"Of course," he said as he gathered his baby girl into his arms.

After tucking her into the little bed in the room that was once his own, John sought his own bed in Sherlock's old room. Tears filled his eyes as he took in the familiar sight. Even after all these years, he missed Sherlock so much it hurt. He felt the familiar tears fall as he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Sherlock Holmes was ready to go home. He'd been working on destroying Moriarty's criminal web for over four years now. It was, quite frankly, exhausting. When he went home, he decided that he was going to try to put a cap on the number of cases he'd do. He had that child to think of now. Whenever his self-appointed task took him in or near London, Sherlock would make sure to take time to see how his John was doing. And his child.

The first time he'd come back was less than a year after his supposed death. After finishing his business in London, he went to find John. When he saw the man, Sherlock almost began to weep. His jumper was too big, he had bags under his eyes, and he was just overall in bad shape. But after drinking in his love's figure and mannerisms(his heart broke when he saw John using his cane again), he noticed what John was holding. It was a purple wrapped baby. Sherlock couldn't see much, just the shape and the blanket.

Luckily, he was disguised. He walked over and "accidentally" bumped into John, catching a glimpse of bright blue eyes and a shock of brown hair. Sherlock reeled, hardly hearing John's angry exclamation. He'd seen that face before- in his own baby pictures.

Over the next couple of years, he looked them up several times. The girl grew up before his eyes. The shock of brown hair turned into a tousle of dark curls. She was small, like John, but build thinly like himself. And those eyes! Now he knew why John was always going on about his eyes. They seemed rather unremarkable in his own face, but in hers they were beautiful. He wanted to be her father in the worst way. From the moment he saw her, he loved her as he loved John- fiercely, unflinchingly, and with all of his heart.

And now he was going home, finally.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter 2- The Man in the Park

John Watson was at his wit's end. Elspeth simply would not sit down! He had given her many different things to do, but she continued being loud. Running around, screaming, everything. It was awful. He even let her watch telly, which he rarely does, but nothing seemed to be working to calm her down today.

Then, suddenly, it was quiet. John listened suspiciously for a few minutes, then breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately it wasn't to last. About 20 minutes later, tangled curls everywhere, she ran in with a homemade slingshot of all things. She instantly began slinging small pebbles at the spray paint smiley face. At that sudden reminder of her father, he realized the problem- she was bored.

"Elspeth!" he barked.

"Yes, Daddy?" she replied in a preoccupied voice.

"Don't shoot the smiley face. Get your shoes, we're going to the park."

"Really?" her little face lit up from within, "Yay! And I was just trying to see if I could hit the holes in the wall," she reported.

"Never mind the wall," John smiled at his daughter, "Let's get you out of here before your boredom brings the wrath of Mrs. Hudson down on us!"

Elspeth giggled and complied. In sort order, John was carrying the four year old on his good hip and they were on their way to the park.

"Daddy," she began, then stopped.

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Daddy, will you tell me what I do that's like other Daddy? I want to try not to do those things so that you don't look so sad," she looked down.

"Oh, Elspeth," he stopped and held his daughter close, "you do so much like him, I don't think you could stop. But I wouldn't want you to, sweet, I love that about you."

"I just don't wanna make you sad anymore," she said in a small voice.

"You don't make me sad," he smiled at her, "It's thanks to you that I can be happy."

"Okay, Daddy," she said, snuggling close for the remainder of the walk. When they got to the park, she wriggled out of his arms and ran off toward the playground.

Sighing in relief, John finally sat down to get some work done. She was so much like Sherlock! Always getting bored… Luckily, she loved the playground that was down the street from the flat. Now if only she could make friends…

Elspeth sang a little song to herself as she pumped the swing higher and higher. She largely ignored the other children, they didn't like her very much. She didn't even understand why either. But she was content to watch them and learn about them. She didn't know why people couldn't understand. Even Daddy really didn't understand what she did. From the hints that he'd dropped, she knew that her other Daddy would have understood. She had figured out that he knew things too. Elspeth wished she could have met him. Lost in her thoughts now and no longer swinging, Elspeth almost didn't see the new man walk up to her and kneel down in front of her.

The man was impossibly tall. He was wearing black pants, a purple shirt, and a big coat. He had dark, curly hair like hers and bright blue eyes.

"Hello," he said to her, "What's your name?"

"Daddy said I'm not s'posed to talk to strangers," she said, scrutinizing the man.

"He's right. But if you tell me your name, we won't technically be strangers anymore," the deep voiced man argued.

"Hmmm," Elspeth considered it, then giggled, "Okay! My name's Elspeth Molly Holmes-Watson!"

To her surprise, the man looked sad at her pronouncement.

"That's a beautiful name," he said gravely.

"You're sad," she stated, "You're sad like my Daddy's sad. Like when I do things like other Daddy used to do and make him sad by accident. You just got back home because you've been far away, but you're finally home. You miss someone, and have since you've been gone, but you won't go talk to them. You didn't sleep last night, you walked around outside instead. You're worried about someone? Probably the person you won't go see. Why not just go see them?"

The man stared at her with wide eyes.

"Sorry," she whispered, "I shouldn't have said that. I should have waited to see if you want to be friends first."

"No, no, no!" the man exclaimed, "That was brilliant! Especially for someone as young as you!"

"Really?" her face lit up and her eyes began to dance,"You like me? Even though I know all about you without you saying it with your words?"

"Of course! Do the other children not like you?"

"No," she shook her head, "They yelled at me because I told Timmy to tell his Mummy about his Daddy hurting him. They all yelled at me and Timmy pushed me down. I got a scraped knee, but I didn't tell Daddy. He would have made a fuss."

"Aww, poor Elspeth," he said sadly, "poor lonely baby."

"I'm not lonely!" Elspeth insisted, "I have Daddy and Doctor Molly and Mrs. Hudson and Mr. Greg and Uncle My-My. And my 'spiraments."

"Experiments? What sort of experiments?"

"Well, I was trying to see if worms go boom when you microwave them, but Daddy got mad," Elspeth frowned slightly, "Well, not mad, just sad. I do a lot of things like my other Daddy, and Daddy gets really sad. I try not to, but he keeps on being sad," she looked up into the stranger's face with tear-filled eyes, "I hate making Daddy sad," she insisted.

"I bet," the stranger said, sadly, "You're such a sweetheart that it would be majorly hard for you, huh. Keep your chin up, sweetie, I'm sure it will get better."

"Okay," she sniffled a bit more, then smiled at him. Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice.

"Elspeth! Time to go home!"

"Okay!" she called. Then she spoke to the man, "Will you be back tomorrow?"

"If you'd like," the blue eyed man suddenly smiled at her as she went to run off. "Oh, Elspeth?" he said after her. She stopped. "When you put worms in the microwave, they do explode," he said to her. She grinned at him before running off after her father.

"Who was that?" John asked his daughter.

"My new friend!" she replied, still grinning.

John worried more than a little bit at those words. His baby was friends with a strange man at the park. Somehow, his instincts were not screaming against it. He decided to let it go and allow his daughter her happiness. She needed friends.

"Well, what was his name?" John asked.

"I dunno," Elspeth frowned.

"Well, perhaps you can have him over for tea sometime?" John offered.

"He said he'd be back tomorrow so that we can play together again!"

"Alright, we can go back to the park tomorrow if it's not raining," John said.

"Yay!" cheered Elspeth.

Inside, John worried further, but was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery man.


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N- I apologize for the lack of much interesting in this chapter. I just needed to build on Sherlock's feelings for his daughter. Hopefully, next chapter will be more interesting! I've actually already started it! Thanks to all who stick with me, but especially to RainyDays-and-DayDreams and Fangirl-ALL-Things for helping me keep coming back to this story!**

Chapter 3- Meeting Elspeth and Surprising Lestrade

Sherlock was walking by the playground in the park when he saw them. John, limping, sad, and heartbreakingly familiar, with the little girl balanced on his good hip. The girl had grown, as little girls are prone to doing. For some strange reason, however, she had grown to look more like him than John.

Against his better judgement, he sat down on a bench to watch them. John let the little girl down and she ran off to the playground as John took out some work. Sherlock smiled as he deduced what had happened- the child had been bored and driven John crazy.

Sherlock looked then at the girl. He felt sympathy bubble up in his chest as he saw her playing on a swing- all alone. He knew the feeling. When he was a small child, the other children hadn't liked him much either. He was the rich brat who knew too much. While this girl was no rich brat, she still knew too much for her own good..

On a whim(very unlike him), he walked over to the little girl who was one of the few people in the world that he loved with all of his heart.

"What's your name?" he asked her. She looked up at him suspiciously. His mind whirred with deductions. _Brown hair- curly and messy- unlikely brushed, skin- pale and dirty- playing in dirt and other messy substances, Jumper cuffs- slightly threadbare- a favorite then, wears as often as possible._

Then he saw the bright blue scarf peeking out from under her little black peacoat and almost broke down. The girl was wearing one of his scarves. It enhanced her big blue eyes immensely. Then he was again distracted, this time by her bell-like voice telling him that he was a stranger. He hinted that if she would only tell him her name, then they wouldn't be strangers anymore. She agreed and said, in an adorable, little-girl voice,

"My name's Elspeth Molly Holmes-Watson!"

Sherlock was speechless at how beautifully perfect her name was. Naming her after Molly was an amazing tribute to the woman who chose to bear her, and the hyphenated last name took his breath away. This was HIS daughter. He had lived on in this beautiful girl.

He told her how beautiful it was, but she wasn't fooled. She looked at him and told him how sad he was, and (probably accidentally) how sad John was. She noticed how he'd been ogling London(he'd been abroad destroying Moriarty's web), and how he missed John(and worried for him). She noticed his not sleeping(he had been walking around London in the rain the night before), and was completely frank with him.

He was so proud of her he thought he might burst.

To his surprise, she looked down, upset, and apologized. He realized that, as brilliant as Elspeth was, she had as few friends as he had at her age. He complimented her, much as John had complimented him, and she had reacted in much the same way that he had- shock. He encouraged her to talk, and learned that she'd tried to expose a child's abuse out of compassion and got shunned as a result. His heart went out to her.

When he vocalized his compassion, she surprised him again. In her eyes, there was no way that she was alone. It wasn't weird to her that she only had friends who were adults- that was all she'd ever known. (Sherlock filed her name for Mycroft away to tease him with later. Uncle My-My indeed!) She also mentioned that she did experiments, and Sherlock was ecstatic. He was proud of the one she'd tried to do, he hadn't thought of that one until he was at least six.

Then she added on the bit about John's sadness. Sherlock was again struck by the man's love for him, but this time he was also struck by the depths of his Elspeth's heart. She was exactly like John- all her compassion and love for others leaving nothing for herself. He wanted to comfort her, tell her that Daddy was here and he'd make everything better, but he didn't dare. Only Mycroft knew he was back and that was because, well, he was Mycroft. He comforted her as best as he could, then carefully hid his face as he heard John calling Elspeth.

Before she left, she made Sherlock promise to see her again, which he'd have been glad to do anyway. He decided to cheer her up further before she left.

"Oh, Elspeth?" she stopped and looked back at him. He grinned, "When you put worms in the microwave, they explode."

He was rewarded with a huge return grin that warmed him all the way through. She then ran back toward John and the sanctuary that was Baker St.

Sherlock then made another snap decision(this is so unlike him). He wanted to go talk to Lestrade. He carefully made his way to Scotland Yard and used his most recent of the DI's pilfered ID's to make his way in. Sherlock walked up to DI Lestrade's desk and stopped.

"I'm busy right now, go away," Lestrade growled without looking up. Sherlock glanced at the case file.

"It was Mr. Green, in the ballroom, with the candlestick," he said, half jokingly. Lestrade dropped the file and looked up at Sherlock incredulously.

"Sh-Sherlock?" his eyes were huge.

"Detective Inspector Lestrade," Sherlock nodded at the stunned man, "or, as a perfectly lovely four year old I discovered in the park calls you, ' ,'"

"You've met her then?" Lestrade asked seriously, then shook his head, "No, no, no, this is all wrong. You were dead! You jumped off a building for Christ's sake! Almost destroyed John in the process too. Does he know you're here?" Sherlock looked uncomfortable.

"I did meet Elspeth. She's a perfectly wonderful child. And meeting her will give me an opportunity to talk to John before he decides to hate me. She's my in. Her knowing me will also convince John that I'm not a hallucination. And I did jump off a building. I jumped because Moriarty had gunmen on John, Mrs. Hudson, and you. I had to save you, so I made it look as though I had killed myself like Moriarty wanted."

"Me? I understand John and Mrs. Hudson, but me?" Lestrade asked.

"Yes, you," Sherlock smiled slightly.

"Sherlock, your daughter is brilliant," Lestrade said suddenly, "that little four year old is better than most of my agents! Sometimes John brings her here to visit when she's bored, and I give her things to work her brain. Sometimes, she steals cases off my desk when they visit me at home and she brings them back asking me what a large word meant or if I'd seen that little something right there, or something else small that eventually leads to the case being solved. She's so much like you it's funny." Sherlock looked so proud he thought he might explode.

"I can expect your discretion?" was all he said.

"Just this once, Sherlock," Lestrade said. Then he stood up and hugged the now disgruntled consulting detective. Sherlock awkwardly hugged back, then showed himself out. As he left, he thought he heard Lestrade say something strange.

"Welcome back, Sherlock Holmes."


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N- GUYS! I'm SO SO SORRY! I've had finals this week and life got out of hand and I JUST finished this chapter. During my winter break, I will hopefully be a lot better about posting. Again, I'm SO SORRY. Also, I'm super sorry about how short this chapter is . Next chapter will be much better!**

Chapter 4- The Game of Deduce

When John dragged himself out of bed the next day, he saw Elspeth sprawled on the floor with some paper and crayons. He stared at her for a minute, then went to get a shower in order to wake himself up. When he returned, he made some breakfast for Elspeth and himself. When he called her to the table, she brought her drawing. John choked up when he saw it.

"It's my family, Daddy!" she said proudly. In the middle of the page was herself holding hands with John on one side, Sherlock on the other. Molly was standing next to John, Lestrade next to Sherlock. Mrs. Hudson was next to Molly, Mycroft was next to Lestrade. Each was labeled in her careful, messy, four year old writing, and the page bore the banner "My Family."

"It's beautiful, sweetie," he said quietly, putting it up on the fridge with her many other drawings. She looked up and met his sad eyes with her sorrowful ones. He reached over and hugged her.

"Elspeth, sweetie, would you like to have your new friend over for tea tomorrow?" John asked, changing the subject.

"Sure!" she said, excited.

"Tell him 4:00 at 221b Baker St., okay?"

"Okay Daddy!" she replied, "Can we go to the park now?"

"Go get dressed," he instructed, "You can't go in your PJ's, silly!" Elspeth giggled and complied. She emerged in a few moments, dressed, unable to put her little shoes on. John helped her wordlessly, then got her little black peacoat (a gift from her Uncle My-My), and one of Sherlock's old scarves to keep her warm. He looked at her a moment, a living testament to the man he'd loved so much, then took her hand and led her down the stairs and out.

While they walked, hand in hand, down to the park, Elspeth looked like she was thinking. Recognizing the symptoms, John simply led her down the street to the park.

When they got there, Elspeth looked around eagerly, then wilted when she didn't see her new friend yet.

"Go play, sweetie," John encouraged, "I'm sure your friend will be here soon. It's quite early, remember." Elspeth nodded sadly and went to play. John vowed to himself that if she was disappointed, he'd find the man and give him a piece of his mind. So many people had abandoned his Elspeth. He was getting angry just thinking about it. Then he noticed a man in a large coat sitting on the cold, slightly damp ground next to Elspeth and calmed slightly.

When Sherlock got to the park, he saw little Elspeth sitting on a swing with a dejected expression on her face. He couldn't exactly deduce why, only that she was sad and disappointed. When she saw him, her dejected and disappointed expression melted like snow in bright sunshine. His heart ached when he realized that she'd thought he was going to disappoint her. This was confirmed when she ran up and hugged his leg.

"You came back!" she beamed.

"Of course I did," Sherlock said, "I'd never disappoint you." Her eyes shone.

"Really?" she asked quietly.

"Really," he smiled, "Now, if you'd like to release my leg, we can sit down and I can teach you a new game." She grinned and complied, sitting on the cold, damp grass as he did the same.

"What game?" she asked, impatient.

"It's called 'Deduce,'" he smiled at her.

"De- De-" she struggled with the new word.

"Deduce," he offered, "It means we're going to see what we can see about people."

"Oh!" her eyes lit up, "Like I did when I first met you?"

"Exactly!" he beamed at her, "Alright, can you tell me about that little boy there?" he asked, choosing a child at the park randomly. Elspeth looked over at him for a moment, eyebrows furrowed.

"He's got lots of friends, but he's sad," she stated, "He-" she stopped, but continued sadly, "He's only got a daddy. His daddy is sad, so his mummy either died or ran away. He likes to be with his friends so his daddy won't be sad," she finished.

Sherlock felt terrible for inadvertently choosing a sad kid that his little Elspeth could relate to. He reached over and hugged her small frame.

"Excellent job," he said, "Now let's do a happier one."

Their game continued until John called for Elspeth again. As she was leaving, she turned and ran back to Sherlock.

"Will you please come over for tea tomorrow?" she begged him. He was jubilant. Finally! A way back to John and his family!

"Is it okay with your Daddy?" he asked, even though he knew that it was John's idea in the first place.

"Yup!" she nodded happily, "It was his idea," she echoed his deduction from before.

"Well in that case, I'd be glad to. I accept your invitation, Elspeth Holmes-Watson," he said graciously. She squealed and hugged him.

"221b Baker St. at 4:00 tomorrow!" she rattled off excitedly, then ran back toward John.

After they left, Sherlock leaped into the air joyfully. He was going to see John! And his Elspeth! Be a part of his family! Life was good. Tomorrow he'd have John back! Hopefully..


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N- Guys… I love you so much. I have been so ridiculously busy recently and I'm SO SO SO SORRY for not updating.. I am trying, but life keeps getting so out of hand. Thank you for your patience, and I hope that this chapter is worth it! It was a LOT longer than I expected.**

Chapter 5- Tea at 221B Baker St… Or Not

Elspeth spent the entire next day in her pjs. She ran around after her father trying to re-clean the things he'd just cleaned. The final straw was when she almost broke the skull on the mantlepiece. However, instead of shouting at her, John simply turned the telly on a cheerful children's program that Elspeth loved. That kept her quiet and still until John came in and asked her if she'd like to help him bake cookies to have with tea.

"Yes!" she said enthusiastically. And enthusiastic she was. Elspeth managed to make the biggest mess John had ever seen. He was hard pressed to keep up with her messes. He vowed to give her a bath after this adventure.

Finally, the cookies were in the oven. And Elspeth was covered in flour and dough. John had gotten off easily with only a dirty jumper.

"Let's get you in the bath, shall we?" he asked, "Don't wanna be covered in flour when your friend gets here." Elspeth giggled and nodded. John got her in the bath, then changed his flour covered jumper for one of his oldest, but nicest ones- a soft, oatmeal colored thing that Sherlock had loved.

"Daddy!" Elspeth called a few minutes after that, "Help, please?" John walked into her room and saw her room covered in clothes, and her wrapped in a fluffy white towel, brown curls dripping water into the middle of the floor as she looked around her in frustration. John laughed slightly.

"Daddy!" she said indignantly, "Not funny! Want to look nice!"

"I know, love, I'll help you," he said with a smile. About 10 minutes later, the room was slightly tidier and Elspeth was dressed in a dark purple sweaterdress(Mycroft sent her a new wardrobe every season) and black leggings. Her dark curls were dry and sort of tidy and her bright blue eyes were shining. She then proceeded to run into the kitchen and peek into the oven at the cookies that were baking for their guest.

"They're not ready yet, Elspeth," John said tolerantly.

"I know, Daddy," she replied, still watching them intently, "I just wanna find out if they're gonna blow up."

"Why would they blow up, Elspeth?" John asked suspiciously. Elspeth was saved from answering by the doorbell.

"Never mind, love, your friend is here!" John said enthusiastically, "Would you like to get the door?"

"Yes!" Elspeth cried, then he heard her thumping down the stairs and opening the door. John set up the tea at the kitchen table as the two came up the stairs. The door opened and closed quietly. John turned around to speak to their guest, and he froze, dropping whatever it was that he'd been holding. There, standing at the door chattering happily and familiarly with his daughter was…

"Sherlock?..."

Sherlock was absolutely petrified today. He would never admit it to anyone of course, but he was. He compensated by deducing people until they either ran off or were frothing at the mouth. He was dressed in his nicest suit with the purple shirt John liked so much. He knew that John was going to probably do something like punch him, he just hoped that John allowed him not only back into his life, but into his daughter's life as well. Sherlock had spent so little time with the girl, but he already loved her with every fiber of his being, in a way he had only ever loved John before. He couldn't let her escape so quickly. Or John for that matter. Finally, Sherlock hailed a cab.

"221B Baker St." he reeled off the familiar address like he was just going home from a long day solving cases. Because, in a way, he was.

He stood at the door for five solid minutes before he convinced himself to ring the doorbell. After a moment, he heard Elspeth thump her way down the stairs and open the door.

"You came!" she said excitedly.

"Of course I did!" he said with a smile, swinging her into his arms, closing the door, and making his way up the stairs.

When he opened the door of the flat, he stared around him in wonder. It was almost identical to the way he had left it. It was home. He was lost for a few moments, absentmindedly chatting with Elspeth about her day and her life and the cookies. Then he was brought back to earth by the most beautiful sound in the world.

"Sherlock?..." John whispered, looking like he was afraid to believe what he was seeing. Sherlock couldn't speak, so he simply nodded.

"You're really here?" John asked. Sherlock nodded again. Then a flash of rage flickered across John's face.

"You… You…" John began ranting and raving at Sherlock. Elspeth tightened her arms around Sherlock's neck.

"Daddy?" she whispered in John's direction, "Daddy? What's wrong?" her little voice continued rising in fear, "Daddy? Stop! Daddy! Daddy!" Sherlock rubbed Elspeth's back as she began to cry. John began coming towards them, apparently not hearing his daughter's voice.

Suddenly, there was a gigantic explosion that came from the kitchen, followed quickly by a horrible smell. Everyone froze, and reason came back into John's face. He managed to look sheepish. Elspeth on the other hand, looked jubilant.

"It worked!" she cheered. The two men looked at her. "Uh-oh," she whispered, blue eyes huge in her small face. They ran into the kitchen to see the smoke leaking from the oven. Luckily, the explosion seemed to be contained within the oven. John turned the thing off and opened it, while Sherlock put Elspeth down and opened all of the windows to allow the flat to vent. When he noticed what was happening, John nodded at Sherlock. Elspeth stood near the wall and tried to be invisible.

After completing these tasks, John turned to Elspeth. She whimpered a bit. He walked over to her and crouched down with some difficulty.

"Love," he asked, patiently, "What were you doing?"

"It was a 'spirament," she said quietly, "I put lots of the powdery soda stuff in there when you weren't looking, I wanted to see if they actually blow up like Mrs. Hudson said they would!" John simply sighed.

"Let's not try that one again, shall we?" he said. She nodded quietly. He hugged her.

"Daddy?" she whispered.

"Yes, baby?"

"Why don't you like my friend?" she looked scared again. John looked sad.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, Elspeth. And I do like your friend, I like him alot. Did you know he's actually your other daddy, Sherlock? I didn't know your daddy was still alive and it surprised me. I was kind of angry at him for leaving, but I'm sure that there's a good reason for him to leave us like that. Do you think we should forgive him?" John asked his daughter seriously. Elspeth thought for a moment, then stared at Sherlock intently.

"Yes," she said, "He was worried about you and worried about seeing us. He wanted to see you, but was scared. He's been away from home for a long time. He also cares about us very much."

"Alright, baby, I trust your judgement. Go get some shoes, your scarf, and the coat that Uncle My-my gave you. We're taking him out for dinner instead of tea." She nodded and ran off toward the stairs.

John finally looked at Sherlock.

"I've missed you," he said finally.

"I've missed you too," Sherlock said in his deep tenor. At that moment, Elspeth came back and hurled herself into Sherlock's arms.

"You're my Daddy!" she announced to him happily.

"Yes, it seems so," he said, grinning with happiness as the three of them left the flat.

Later that night, Sherlock paused a moment to reflect on how exhausted he somehow was. Probably because the whole dinner, Elspeth refused to let go of him. Then, when they got back, she showed him all of her experiments and had him play with her and tuck her into bed.

"She's a handful, huh?" a familiar voice said, making Sherlock look up. John was standing there, smiling, holding out a cup of tea.

"Definitely," Sherlock replied, taking the cup and sipping the familiar tea, "Thanks."

"She's exactly like you," John looked at him sideways with a grin. Sherlock grinned back as he put down his cup. Caught in a sudden wave of emotion, Sherlock hugged John.

After a moment of shock, John grabbed Sherlock as though he was trying to hold the detective in place. Sherlock rubbed John's back, slightly awkwardly, until he realized that his army doctor was shaking with sobs. At that, Sherlock felt tears running down his face as well. He leaned over to John's ear and whispered quietly,

"I love you, John Watson,"

"I love you too, Sherlock Holmes," John replied, stunned out of tears for a moment before breaking into renewed sobs. Sherlock carefully kissed the doctor's hair, then led him to the couch. The two fell asleep there that night, crying and cuddling and just reveling in each other's presence. Finally together again, for good this time.


End file.
